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119-hr-9270119th Congress

Dignity and Due Process for Children Act of 2026

Sponsored By: Representative Dexter, Maxine [D-OR-3]

Introduced

Summary

Stronger protections for unaccompanied children in immigration encounters. This bill would limit arrests and detention and restrict military use in cases involving children encountered without a parent or guardian.

Show full summary
  • Children and families: Children under 18 encountered in the United States beyond a border or port of entry who lack a parent or legal guardian would not be arrested or detained pending a removal decision unless an immigration judge issues a warrant.
  • Military and transport: No member of the Armed Forces, Department of Defense (DoD) contractor, or DoD-owned vessel, aircraft, or vehicle could be used to transport such a child for immigration enforcement. An exception applies only for responses to natural or weather-related disasters under a presidential declaration of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act.
  • Legal counsel and consent: Federal attorneys general and agency heads could not require an unaccompanied child to sign away rights like a hearing or claims to relief unless the child can consult confidentially with a lawyer. If the child lacks a lawyer the government must promptly provide a referral and ensure a confidential consultation no later than five business days after presenting the document.
  • Trafficking protections: The bill clarifies that nothing in it supersedes the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Protections for unaccompanied immigrant children

If enacted, this bill would bar arrest or detention of immigrants under 18 found in the U.S. beyond a border without a parent or guardian while a removal decision is pending. An immigration judge could still issue a warrant to authorize an arrest. The bill would ban the military, Department of Defense contractors, and DoD-owned vehicles, aircraft, or vessels from transporting these children for immigration enforcement, except in places under a presidential disaster declaration for natural disasters. Officials could not require a child to sign away rights like hearings, applications for relief, or admissions of removability without a private, confidential consultation with a lawyer. If the child has no lawyer, the government would promptly refer one and ensure a confidential consultation at the earliest practicable time and no later than five business days after presenting the document. The bill would define key terms by citing existing immigration statutes and would state that it does not override the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Dexter, Maxine [D-OR-3]

OR • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Pelosi, Nancy [D-CA-12]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 6/11/2026

  • Rep. Casar, Greg [D-TX-35]

    TX • D

    Sponsored 6/11/2026

  • Rep. Castro, Joaquin [D-TX-20]

    TX • D

    Sponsored 6/11/2026

  • Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2]

    MA • D

    Sponsored 6/11/2026

  • Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 6/11/2026

  • Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 6/11/2026

  • Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 6/11/2026

  • Rep. Frost, Maxwell [D-FL-10]

    FL • D

    Sponsored 6/11/2026

  • Rep. Hoyle, Val T. [D-OR-4]

    OR • D

    Sponsored 6/11/2026

  • Rep. Salinas, Andrea [D-OR-6]

    OR • D

    Sponsored 6/11/2026

  • Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12]

    MI • D

    Sponsored 6/11/2026

  • Rep. Escobar, Veronica [D-TX-16]

    TX • D

    Sponsored 6/11/2026

  • Rep. Ansari, Yassamin [D-AZ-3]

    AZ • D

    Sponsored 6/11/2026

  • Rep. Crockett, Jasmine [D-TX-30]

    TX • D

    Sponsored 6/11/2026

  • Rep. Garcia, Sylvia R. [D-TX-29]

    TX • D

    Sponsored 6/11/2026

  • Rep. Jacobs, Sara [D-CA-51]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 6/11/2026

  • Rep. Simon, Lateefah [D-CA-12]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 6/11/2026

  • Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13]

    MI • D

    Sponsored 6/11/2026

  • Rep. McClellan, Jennifer L. [D-VA-4]

    VA • D

    Sponsored 6/11/2026

  • Rep. Randall, Emily [D-WA-6]

    WA • D

    Sponsored 6/11/2026

  • Rep. García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 6/11/2026

  • Rep. Mejia, Analilia [D-NJ-11]

    NJ • D

    Sponsored 6/11/2026

  • Rep. Foushee, Valerie P. [D-NC-4]

    NC • D

    Sponsored 6/11/2026

  • Rep. Fletcher, Lizzie [D-TX-7]

    TX • D

    Sponsored 6/11/2026

  • Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]

    DC • D

    Sponsored 6/11/2026

  • Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1]

    OR • D

    Sponsored 6/18/2026

  • Rep. Pressley, Ayanna [D-MA-7]

    MA • D

    Sponsored 6/18/2026

  • Rep. Liccardo, Sam T. [D-CA-16]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 6/25/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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